The Doppelganger
by Scourge The Hedgehog
Summary: In a version of the Mirror Universe where the Empire never fell, the crew of Terok Nor deal with a "crossover" from another dimension.: A counterpart of their insane Operations Chief Miles O'Brien. Plus, Kira and Garak have their own agendas...
1. New Arrival

"_Commander's Log: Stardate 45678.2. After the latest attack by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, Repairs are being done on all systems of the station. New Transporter systems and subroutines are being installed to avoid further tampering. I'll be leaving that to the more-than-capable, if unstable, hands of my Operations Chief, Miles O'Brien…Since I'm certainly not going to do it."_

"That one, there…..Oh, you aren't getting away!"

Miles zaps at the coils and exposed wire underneath with an unknown device.

"Are you almost done, Chief?" A voice asks Miles.

Miles pokes his head out from underneath the station he was repairing to see an almost Human-looking man, a black uniform seen below his slightly deformed face. His hands are behind his back in a calm manner, while his face shows signs of irritation.

"Of course, Odo." Miles says with a warm smile. "Alliance forces are sure to hijack us if the Transporters aren't fixed. It's just a matter of reassembling the Pattern Coils and dispelling the Neutrino stains."

"You usually work faster." Odo says; his voice critical. "You KNEW that the cargo shipment was scheduled for today…"

"Don't rush me, you protoplasmic shell of a man!" Miles yells unexpectedly as he resumes his work with the machine, Odo's frame again obscured from his point of view. "I'll finish it when I damn well finish it!"

Odo narrows his eyes, but does nothing. If Miles had been an ordinary Ensign, he'd have killed the man where he lay. But Miles was a unique case. O'Brien was subjected to an experiment that turned him into a loyal Terran…..But it also destroyed his mind in the process, making him insane, unstable, and random. He was never the same person twice. He could be a happy man one minute and an angry psychopath the very next. He was a damn good tinkerer no matter what kind of person he was….and that's why he was the Operations Chief aboard Terok Nor…..and Odo's personal handyman.

"Just get it done soon." Odo says. "I don't want to give Quark any openings. If there's anyone that could interfere with Kira's shipments, it's him."

"I could just kill him, y'know." Miles shouts from underneath the computer station, a random spark from the device in his hand trailing off and away. "It'd save you a lot of trouble. Besides….All that red blood would make the bar look better...The pretty red…Like blue, but also like green…..Oh and of course, brown."

"No." Odo says with a dark chuckle. "Its fun watching him squirm. Besides, it keeps me on my toes. Now I see why you Humanoids like your competitions…."

"Competitions are great…." Miles says, more sparks flying from his position under the computer.. "Like fur, for instance. Its smoothness co-enacts with the arcane rifles that….."

_"Another consciousness dump…"_ Odo thinks to himself. _"O'Brien's a great patsy, but he can be so annoying…."_

Miles, due to his insanity, sometimes rambled to himself or even spouted random nonsense from the remains of what little of a mind he has left. It drove many people away from him...But it also striked fear into the hearts of many a Terran officer, so Sisko and Odo let it happen.

"Done." Miles says, crawling out from underneathe the computer station. "So...You need me to secure Kira's shipment?"

"Yes." Odo says. "Sisko has his back turned, so it's the perfect time to fund her personal war with him..."

"Since when do you give two craps about their little squabbles?" Miles asks, putting the tools he was using back into a box that was next to him. "Last I checked you were neutral. Why help her?"

"I don't. And I'm NOT helping her." Odo says. "But Sisko's days are numbered. He's been lazy ever since he was assigned to the station. I'm not surprised Kira would want him gone. Nothing ever gets done. Besides, i'm sure buttering Kira up will secure my position."

"And mine, hopefully?" Miles asks, tilting his head to the left slightly. His eyes were slightly narrowed, as if he were staring Odo down.

"Of course, of course." Odo says, waving a dismissive hand. "Like I would ever want to lose such a valuable henchman. And as for Sisko and Kira, I wouldn't exactly call it a squabble. Sisko's not doing anything..."

"Like always..." Miles says, slinging the handle of the tool satchel over his left shoulder. "It's either because he's too stupid to trust her, or he's the the greatest actor in the galaxy."

"True..." Odo says. "Now, let's go get this over with."

* * *

><p>"Your move, old man."<p>

Sisko lays back in his chair, his arms wrapped behind his head in a confident smirk.

"I've told you dozens of times not to call me that, Benjamin."

"Oh, please. You should be used to it by now..."

Jadzia folds her arms, looking upon the illusory Three-Dimensional-Chess board stationed between the two.

Just because she had killed Curzon Dax to become joined doesn't mean that she WAS him.

The nickname was like an insult...

Sisko was smart, but he wasn't a genius. He had no 'get up and go.' All that supposed cunning went to waste.

She moves her final rook, capturing Benjamin's own rook. His King piece was now vulnerable.

"Checkmate." Says Jadzia as she leans back in her chair, a smirk on her face, "You still have a lot to learn."

"Bah, I've only been at this little game...What, a week?" Sisko asks. "I'll get the hang of it."

"So..." Jadzia asks, a glint in her eye. "What do you think about the increase in cargo shipments as of late?"

She had to gauge how much he knew...

"It's fishy, but I'm not surprised." Sisko says, coming closer to Jadzia's face, trying to whisper in her ear. "Do you think it's Kira?"

Jadzia was Kira's right-hand woman; not that Benjamin had to know that.

To think he has already anticipated Kira's rebellion...

Truly a waste of cunning.

He could've been great...if he wasn't so lazy.

"I doubt it." Jadzia says. "The Alliance is always scanning this sector so the heightened security is necessary. If they breach this station, those explosives are our last line of defense. Phasers and daggers are only SO effective. Besides, Kira's always been the closest person to you. If she had wanted you killed, you'd have been dead already."

"Ah, maybe I'm being paranoid. Kira's been faithful to me for a long time..." Sisko says, sitting back onto his chair. "But you know Empire policy..."

"Sigh...If a Captain, or in your case Commander; isn't doing his job, the First officer deposes him and takes over." Jadzia says with an irritable tone. "I know the regulations from memory, Ben. Trust me, you aren't the lazy type..."

To think she had to say that with a straight face...

Benjamin actually did little to nothing! Kira did all the work while HE took the credit!

But that would change soon. And then Jadzia would have even more influence. From there, control of the station was a hop and skip away.

"Just relax, Ben." Jadzia says. "You'll be fine."

She then gets up, pressing a button underneath the table that makes the Chess hologram disappear.

"Anyway, I'm off to Rom's for a game of Dabo." Jadzia says. "Care to join me?"

"No, no." Sisko says. "I have some...business...to take care of."

"Of course." Jadzia says, heading towards the door. "Well, later then."

With an evil smile away from Sisko's eyesight, she leaves the room.

Sisko was easy to read. Smart, but lazy. Kira would make mincemeat out of him.

* * *

><p>Wiping blood from the bar tables, Quark sighs heavily.<p>

"Ah, another bar fight, more dead corpses." Quark says. "Rom's gonna kill me if I don't get this blood cleaned..."

"Need a hand?"

Quark turns to see Elim Garak, the only Cardassian aboard Terok Nor.

He was a total mystery. Nobody knew him at all...Even Jadzia, who keeps tabs on everybody. Quark couldn't even tell. Everything about Garak suggested he was hiding something. But, Garak was his only friend. If a friend was even possible in this twisted excuse for a galaxy, anyway.

"Um...Sure..." Quark says, handing Garak a rag from a nearby cabinet.

Quark wondered whythe Empire even LET a Cardassian into their station, anyway. Maybe he was a secret spy for them? Or maybe...No. No point in thinking about it. Trying to find out would only add more questions. And consdiering the still-forming bond betwene the two, questions weren't a good idea.

"Another brawl?" Garak asks with a knowing tone.

"Ugh! I hate this place! The Empire's full of nutjobs, freaks and assholes at every turn. How I'm still alive is outta my grasp!" Quark shouts in irritation. "Can you hand me that bottle to your right?"

Garak hands Quark the bottle as he proceeds to get down on one knee, rubbing a dried-up blood stain with a rag Quark has given him.

"Terrans truly are horrific creatures, aren't they?" Garak asks, a hidden tone to his voice. "Especially that O'Brien...Who knows what that one's thinking. If he can even think at all..."

"Rom must've been outta his mind when he decided to open a bar aboard a Terran space station!" Quark says with exasperation, adding the last sentence with sarcasm. "There's no profit in being on the other end of a Terran blade, I tell ya! But no, I dunno what I'm talking about, do I?"

"But, at least I can keep Odo in check." Quark continues.

"I've noticed the little rivalry developing between you two." Garak says, a sly smile forming on his lips. "Tell me, why do you care whether he throws his weight around or not?"

"I dunno, honestly." Quark says. "I guess I just feel for all of these species. To have to live under Terran rule is hell."

"True." Garak says. "Tell me, do you fancy yourself a hero, Quark?"

"A hero?" Quark asks. "Nah. I'm just one man. One man ain't gonna change the Empire. But I'll stick a middle finger up at 'em whenever I get the chance."

"You would do that, even knowing that Odo or O'Brien could kill you at anytime for your bravado?" Garak asks. "Sounds like a hero to me..."

Quark doesn't reply. He just keeps wiping the tables.

Garak says nothing more, but Quark could prove useful...

* * *

><p>With an irritated sigh, Julian Bashir walks down the corridors of Terok Nor.<p>

His Medical Kit in one hand and a dagger hidden in the other, he was taking no chances in the murderous hallways of this place.

Sisko had ordered him to beam down to Bajor to tend to some of their wounded.

Julain was NOT looking forward to the trip at all...

Bajor was, in all essence, a cesspool. Everyone is against each other in a constant struggle for power, not unlike the Terran Empire itself. Various corrupt factions fight for prevalence and so-called glory in this planet's harsh atmosphere. As a result, much of it's people are aggressive, territorial, intelligent, and manipulative.

These qualities made Bajor not only a rare find for the Empire, but also one of the hardest planets to conquer.

After all, The Empire had to send TWO Flagships to take over this planet ten years ago. That's how strong these people were. (It was a good thing the Empire had found Bajor before the Alliance did, or they would have lost the war for sure!)

Of course, during the Imperial Occupation, the Empire had managed to get much of Bajor on it's side; (Save for the small Resistance Cells, which were quickly disposed of) so the Bajorans aren't nearly as defiant as they were prior.

Many were skeptical from the start about making Bajor a part of the Empire, however. They were worried that they would choose the same path as the Vulcans; feigning friendship so that they could conquer the Empire from the inside out.

On the other hand, Bajorans made great Security Officers aboard Terran ships and Freighters, making the benefits of having them as servants outweigh the risk of their being a threat. After all, who wouldn't want a bodyguard/assassin watching your back? (Or stabbing it if you slack off!)

Regardless as to how one looks at Bajor, a kind, peace-loving planet it was not.

Julian was therefore worried more about HIS safety than that of the Bajorans. After all, people have gone down to Bajor before only to never come back. Julian was more liable to get his throat slit than to come home in one piece.

But on the other hand, any dead corpses could be used a cadavers...

Julian needed all of the torture practice he could get! He didn't take a Medical Science Major in the Imperial Academy for nothing.

Why Medical Science? Julian was always teased in the Academy. Practical jokes, assassination attempts, anything one could think of he was subjected to. It was because of this harsh life that his lifelong dream of becoming a Doctor was muddled by revenge. So, using what he learned in class, as well as some research on the side, he had finally (with the help of an unwary stooge) gathered all of the people that had ever made fun of him. From there, one can guess what he had done. Needless to say, he now learns the in-and-outs of any organism's pressure points when examining a new species...

As he turns the corridor, stopping in front of the door, it slides open with a HISS.

Nothing. Just the Transporter and the computer station. Julian always thoufght this room was eerie...

He walks over to the machine, putting in the coordinates into the computer as it replies with a beeping sound.

He starts to walk over to the Transporter, only to see a body materialze onto the Transporter Pad.

There stands Miles O'Brien, who looks at his surroundings with a confused stare, finally centering his gze on Julian.

"What the-?" Miles utters. "I was working on the Warp Core...How'd I end up here?"

Julian wasn't in the mood to deal with Smiley now. (As O'Brien always had an insane smile on his face, they all called him that) He actually did his best to avoid the man...He couldn't stand being around him. His randomness made him a wild card; and sometimes even put Julian in danger. But...What was with that uniform he was wearing? Smiley's never broken the Dress Code before...

"Aren't you supposed to be with Odo right now, Smiley?" Julian says with an irritable tone. "I thought you had that Transporter fixed ages ago...Plus, what's with that odd get-up? You've never been one to breach regulations..."

"What are you talking about?" O'Brien replies. "This is what I always wear...And I should ask you the same thing. Why are you wearing that black uniform...And what's with the paint job?"

"Paint job?" Julian says, as he notes Miles pointing at the Terran Empire logo emblazoned on the ceiling. "That's our logo! You who obey Regulations so much shouldn't be asking me that! Ugh...Why am I even talking to you? I have work to do..."

Julian walks over to the Transporter Station to re-input the coordinates. Just to be sure...

This behavior was odd, even for Smiley. Smiley never broke even the smallest of rules. EVER. His loyalty to the Empire was the only reason he was even kept around, aside from being a lapdog for Odo and Commander Sisko. Plus, if anybody knew Terran History, it was Smiley. No way he'd be asking such stupid and obvious questions. Smiley...wasn't acting like himself. If he even HAD a single self...

"Nice way to treat a friend..." Miles says, getting off of the Transporter Pad. "Whatever, I need to talk to Keiko, anyway..."

That was another thing Julian noticed. No nonsense. No babble, no conciousness dumps. O'Brien was acting...sane.

In a quick flash, Julian takes out the Phaser that was strapped over in a holster on his right side, aiming it at Miles.

"Don't move!" Julian shouts, aiming the Phaser at O'Brien with his right hand, his left hand free.

"What the hell?" Miles asks angrily, putting his hands up cautiously. "Put the Phaser down!"

"No...Not till I find out what the hell's going on here..." Julian says, tapping the Terran Empire badge on the left side of his chest. "Julian to Odo."

"Odo here." Odo's voice says, ringing through from the badge. "Doctor, what a pleasant surprise...You usually aren't the social type..."

"No mind games right now!" Julian replies irritably. "Is Smiley with you?"

"Of course." Odo says. "The man won't leave me alone...Why?"

"Then why is he standing right in front of me, out of uniform, and acting like he has a brain?" Julian asks angrily.

"We'll be right there..." Odo says. "Odo out."

"What's with you guys?" O'Brien asks. "Is this some practical-"

"Quiet..." Julian says, his tone tense. "...Or I'll fire! Unless you want me to use you as torture practice, you'll keep your mouth shut! Why me? Why am I always the one that goes through this crap?"

"Oh, boo-hoo." O'Brien says.

At that moment, a Phaser beam flies past him; and onto a nearby wall.

"I won't warn you again! Shut up!" Julian says.

Soon after, the Transporter doors HISS open.

Odo comes in, an angry look on his shoulders. Smiley comes in after him.

**(Author's Note: As of now, Smiley is this world's O'Brien. Miles is the prime O'Brien.)**

"This better be-" Odo says, only to stop short as soon as he sees the other Miles.

The scene zooms in on Smiley as he stares at Miles; his eyes transfixed on his counterpart.

"This is..." The two Miles say in unison. "...not happening..."


	2. Obsession

(Episode Card: "The Doppelganger")

"This is a joke." Smiley says as the scene zooms in on his face. "A lie, a sham, a hoax, a facade, a flimflam..."

Smiley walks up to Julian, getting in his face.

"...A _hologram_." Smiley finishes, his last word uttered with a slight growl to his voice. "Computer, end program!"

Nothing happens.

Smiley gets directly into Julian's face, his eyes narrowed. "Aren't we the little trickster?"

"Do you seriously think that I would waste my time preparing some _elaborate_ Hologram just to piss you off?" Julian says, responding just as angrily as Smiley was.

"You weren't wasting your time..." Smiley says, digging into his right pocket, taking out an Empire-issued dagger. "I AM pissed off...And your'e live, beating Heart will be the perfect payment for my troubles!"

"Try it, little man!" Julian replies, getting into Smiley's face. "I'll dissect you faster than you can say-"

"Before you idiots get into yet another brawl, I want Smiley to come see this. Doctor, make sure the other one stays put." Odo says, as the two enemies find him now standing by the computer console.

Smiley slowly walks towards Odo, his Dagger drawn, and his eyes trailing Julian's.

"If ther's nothing good here, Julian..." Smiely says.

"Oh, piss off, you lunatic!" Julian replies, keeping his Phaser trained on Miies.

"What the hell's up with all of you?" Miles asks; still looking around in utter shock.

"You, stay quiet." Odo says, pointing at the console he was manning. "Look over here, Smiley."

Smiley looks over the console as his eyes stop at a pair of numbers.

"That's...That's my Transporter signature...And even my pattern!" Smilely says in awe. "So that..._thing_ over there isn't a Hologram. It's another me...Could it be a Replicant?"

"No..." Odo says. "Remember the incident with the Parada? After the last Replicant incident, we had the Transporters modified to disassemble Replicants upon Transport. It's probabaly a clone or something. If it is...A DNA Test will find that out."

"I'm not a Hologram, Repli-whatever, and I'm certainly no Clone!" Miles shouts, his face red with anger. "I'm flesh and blood, dammit! Now I demand to know what the hell's goin' on!"

"Hold on." Odo says, walking towards Miles.

In one swift motion, Odo backhands Milkes with his left hand, as the poor man falls to the floor.

"Prisoners do NOT demand anything...They beg..." Odo says, looking over Miles with sadistic glee. "And I'm not in a humoring mood. As for you, Doctor...you have work to do down on Bajor, so go and do it." Odo says. "Though, be kind enough to scan our newest victim before you go..."

"I'm late enough already, thanks to you two." Julian says irritably, walking towards the Transporter console, pressing buttons rapidly. "I'll do it when I return. Just keep that thing on a leash. We already have one lunatic running around the station..."

Julian gives Smiley one last glance of anger as he hastily walks onto the Transporter Pad. "...And I'm not about to become a bloody Counselor."

The Doctor disappears seconds after his feet touch the platform, as blue lights take his body from the room.

"Well, so much for the DNA Test." Odo says. "I suppose some Agony Booth time will clear up this little mystery."

Smiley wasn't listening to anything Odo was saying, even as the Changeling hoisted the fake Smiley to his feet.

All Smiley could do was stare into Miles' eyes...And calculate how slowly he could possibly rip them from his head.

* * *

><p>"AAAAHHHHH!"<p>

The man's screams cannot penetrate the glass prison surrounding his body.

Kira Nerys twiddles her Terran-issued Dagger in between her thumbs as she leans back in the mobile chair that overseers of the Agony Booth always sat in.

This...was an unexpected gift.

She nonchalantly turns the knob of the Agony Application Device up one more notch.

The man's screams become louder as his body shakes and contorts within the hollow tube.

His eyes were bloodshot; His arms were tired. His voice was ragged.

This one was no Replicant...

To think, another 'Smiley.'

Green to the ways of this savage world, open to influence, actually sane. And...innocent.

He could become her most valuable pawn if she played her cards right.

Now was the time. Kira had amassed enough resources to knock Sisko off of his fake throne.

She had waited a long time for this...The right time to strike.

And when she did...What is Sisko's would now belong to her.

With this new toy...the timing couldn't be more perfect.

_"He's had enough. He'll die if I keep him in there much longer. Why break my new toy?"_

Kira leans forward in her chair as she turns the knob down to it's lowest setting, as the Agon Booth's lights dim and the screaming fades.

This was the start of a new era...

Kira gets up from the chair as two Security Guards fish out Miles' weakened body from the Agony Booth Tube.

He can't talk. All he could do was breath hurridly and raggedly.

But that was enough. Kira didn't need him to talk right now.

She walks towards the man, who looks at her with angry, confused eyes.

That's how Jadzia saw her master for the first time. An evil sadist with only hatred running through her veins.

But like the rest of her 'followers...'

"I'm gonna make this easy. Help me, and you'll get to go home. Don't...And I'll practically gift-wrap you and hand you over to Smiley...And by the Prophets, you DO NOT want that. My quarters...Nineteen-hundred hours. Memorize it."

...They'll learn to love her.

"Take him away!"

* * *

><p>He just kept asking.<p>

"No. For the final time."

Smiley wasn't himself.

Asking for favors wasn't very common for Smiley. He always did what he was told and usually didn't expect anything for it. The perfect servant.

But this was new...And it was pissing Benjamin off.

"But, Captain. That man is going around the station masquerading as me!" Smiley says desperately. "I just want to slit his throat and use his blood as new paint for the walls in my quarters...That doesn't seem to be too much to ask."

"Smiley, you've never behaved like this before." Sisko says angrily, folding his hands as he lays back in his chair. "Ever since that man beamed on-board the station, he's all you've talked about. Now an obsession is fine, but don't let it interfere with your duties! Use your head. I'm keeping him alive for a reason and when I'm through with him, then you can do whatever you want with him! Besides, I need him!"

"For what? To be your new Operations Chief? Your errand boy? Your'e little playmate?" Smiley asks angrily. "I'm your playmate! I'M your handyman! It's always been that way! And I swear, it will _stay_ that way even if I have to do it myself!"

Enough was enough. e was giving Smiley too much lee-way.

Benjamin gets up from his chair and stomps over to the man, who turns his eyes away from his Commanding Officer in response.

"Beat him black-and-blue." Benjamin says, walking around Smiley with his arms behind his back. "Spit in his face, gouge his eyes out, Eat his Heart, Put him in the Agony Booth for a week. Hell, stick his head in the toilet if it suits your fancy."

Benjamin then gets face-to-face with Smiley, as their eyes lock level with each other.

"But I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR DOCTOR BASHIR TELLING ME HE'S DEAD!" Sisko roars, his yelling surely being heard outside in Ops. "Do you understand?"

"Train wrecks...Dogs...C-C-Candle...H-Hyperfusion Matrix..." Smily muttered nervously to himself as his breathing became worse.

Sisko was only this mad at him on very rare occasions. Sisko knew of the babble Smiley uttered at times and the mood swings he often had. Especially when he was thinking about something. The more involved, scared, or stressed Smiley was, the worse it all got. It let him get away with things most Ensigns and rookie officers would usually get killed for. But Sisko had his limits, even for Smiley. Though, it secretly made Benjamin happy that despite his reputation for being lazy, he could still intimidate the very best the Empire had to offer.

_"Do. You. Understand?"_ Sisko says again as he puts emphasis on his words, moving his head closer to Smiley, who backs up slightly in response.

"Yes, Captain." Smiley says sullenly.

"Dismissed."

* * *

><p>Dax walks down the vastness that was the Promenade of Terok Nor, watching the people and inferior aliens pass by.<p>

Despite it's bloodthirsty crew, it was actually a pretty safe and enjoyable environment...(Save for the occasional assassination or barfight in Rom's) especially compared to some of the starbases stationed in other quadrants.

Dax saw many peeople she recognized.

By one of the many Bajoran Church entrances, she sees Vedek Oboron. He had an innocent smile, but behind that kind face lies a secretive, xenophobic weapons merchant notorious for his horrible luck and weak business savvy. He's done business with Odo and Rom before...and that's the only reason why he's not in a holding cell right now. He was always a bit of a coward...Easy to scare. She launches a stare his way as the two meet eyes. He fakes a bow of courtesy, but she knows it's his way of saying 'Mind your own business.'

With a chuckle, she continues down the Promenade.

By the Jumja stick Kiosk in a drunken stupor lay Tuvok, a Vulcan that abandoned his homeworld when it was conquered by the Empire. He, unlike most Vulcans, was NOT logical, and acted more like a Romulan. This causes many Vulcans to look down on him. He was a nice guy and surprisingly enough, quite the party animal...Shame he was too much of a womanizer to ever be one of Jadzia's close friends. (She almost castrated him when his hands went below her waist-line during the Bajoran Gratitude Festival) Still, he was a decent negotiator, provided the target in question was even willing to talk to him.

Sitting on his usual stool in Rom's was the infamous customer Morn, who was actually an assassin for his government. Him and Odo have a good business relationship, with Morn sometimes taking Smiley's place whenever the freak was out on some bout of derring-do. (She wasn't in the mood to think about Smiley right now) He often performs hits for Odo gaining his usual fee of one hundred bars of latinum every time; fifty in advance, the rest when the job was done. Rom's been trying to make deals with him for years, but for some reason, the man never gave the Ferengi a second glance. Morn was actually pretty brave despite his seemingly cowardly appearance. It was rumored that he's an escaped mental patient from a theraputic hospital on his home planet, but whenever anyone asks about him, the transmission always...ALWAYS...ends. Jadzia actually liked him. Too bad he wasn't much of a talker.

Eventually, the hustle-bustle of the Promenade begins to fade as she finally reaches the Infirmary.

No sooner does she walk in that she sees Julian Bashir huddled over a console.

He was the station's Chief Medical Officer. A Genetically enhanced, antisocial sadist who blazed through Medical Science at the Academy. His Terran conditioning came to a head when he slaughtered five teachers and two Cadets in what is still known today as "The Bashir Incident." He usually chose to keep to himself, often ignoring others and avoiding close relationships and bonds. Because of this, he wasn't well-liked and often avoided. Everyone knew that the generally corpse-filled Infirmary was HIS domain. And that there was no guarantee that anybody coming in...was coming out. He can usually be seen indulging his cultural side through his many spy programs, in which he often played the villain. Still, despite his sadistic streak, love of gore, and quick temperament, she preferred Julian's company more than anybody in the station. (The only exceptions were Morn, Rom, and Captain Sisko...whom she talked to regularly) It wasn't because he was genetically enhanced, either...He was just smarter than the others. It was a nice change talking to someone who was an intellectual equal instead of a bloodthirsty killing machine. Granted, the man HAD a sadistic streak, but at least HE knew when to put it. The others just sort of...threw their weight around.

"Cause of death...Assassination. Stardate 46320.9..."

He was obviously consumed with his work.

"Time of Autopsy..."

"Ahem." She grunts.

The man's hypnotized chanting stops as he turns his rolling chair to see her standing behind him. His eyes looked irritable. He wasn't in a talking mood.

"Ah, Jadzia." Julian says. "What do YOU want?"

"I was wondering how those tests on the other O'Brien went." Jadzia replies, ignoring Julian's obvious disintrest in interaction. The 'faker's' state was not really why she was here. Still, every little bit of information was helpful.

"Oh, for-Odo's already asked me this." Julian says bluntly. "Despite all medical possibility, logical probability, and my personal preferences, these two are indeed the same man. He's not a Replicant; and he isn't a clone. Clones usually have incomplete DNA sequences, problems with their genetic coding, or even diseases that an actual Human would simply not have. Here we are in the 24th Century, and we still haven't perfected the Cloning process. I keep telling Imperial Medical to allow me to research the process, but no...The fatcats don't want to waste their time doing something actually useful!"

One thing she hated about him: He complained. A LOT.

"All of that aside, this other O'Brien must come from some sort of alternate universe or dimension." Julian continues. "I doubt that Smiley just...spawned him out of thin air..."

"You mean like the crossover that took place during the time of Captain Kirk?" Jadzia asks.

"Well, duh." Julian says. "It's just a matter of finding out how the hell he got here. I can't believe I'm saying this; but if that's what you want to find out, you should ask Smiley."

"Ugh, I'm not going near that..._thing_." Jadzia asks. "I'd rather hurl him out of the nearest airlock than ask him about his counterpart. Besides, all he'll do is..."

"...Go on and on about how his counterpart is impersonating him and how he's going to kill him in various gruesome ways?" Julian asks, finishing Jadzia's sentence.

"Y-Yeah." Jadzia says, a note of glee in her voice.

"Nice to see someone with a brain on this station..." Julian says icilly.

"Was that a compliment or an insult?" Jadzia asks, crossing her arms in a jesting manner.

"You decide that for yourself." Julian replies.

"So where exactly is this 'other' Smiley?" Jadzia asks.

"Odo's keeping him in a Holding Cell." Julian replies, turning his back on Jadzia to resume his work on the console. "Now if you'll kindly leave me alone, I have work to do."

* * *

><p>His prey was so close.<p>

He couldn't take the hiding anymore...

Smiley could see his counterpart just..._sitting there!_

Reading a PADD like he owned the place! That skin! Those eyes! Those features! They were Smiley's! His and his alone! And to think Sisko and Odo fell for that scthick!

_"He thinks he can just...come in and replace me; Replace old Smiley?"_ Smiley thinks to himself as he adjusts his body to his hiding place behind the wall of the adjoining door to his quarters. _"No, no, no, no, no! I am the real O'Brien! Me! And I'll prove it to him..."_

And with that, Smiley quietly exhaled, closing his eyes for a brief moment before hunching his back...and taking a step into the room.

Inch by inch, step by step, the homicidal engineer crept ever closer to the couch the impostor was lounging on.

Smiley's unsuspecting prey did nothing but sat there as his impending doom lurched ever closer.

It kind of reminded Smiley of his days fighting as a soldier against the Bajorans during the Imperial Occupation. He enjoyed every minute of it. The feeling you get knowing your'e superior; The knowledge that your'e enemy's life is in your'e hands; To know that the last thing they'll see is your face. To know that their life is now your eternal possession...

It gave him such a rush. This was no different.

But...His interests weren't all that concerned him. Smiley knew just how damaging somebody in his position could do...Especially someone that knew as much, if not more than him about the inner workings of Terok Nor. This...impostor had to be eliminated before he took over Smiley's life...and destroyed Terok Nor.

He was almost within range. He COULD throw the dagger at his target's head now, would be less messy. But no...He wanted to SAVOR every minute. He wanted it bloody. He wanted all of that red to drape the walls! He wanted it SPECTACULAR!

The moment he was at close-range, Smiley resumes an upright position. The couch prevented him from casting a shadow. There was no way he'd be able to blow his cover unless his breathing became erratic.

No, not yet.

_"Maintain your'e composure, Smiley."_ Smiley thinks to himself. _"Be calm...Save happiness until AFTER your'e knife's in his throat..."_

His upright position was an advantage. And he intended to use it.

Smiley twiddles the dagger in his thumbs as his counterpart stopps looking at the PADD. He knew something was amiss.

Now!

Smiley lunges, like a feral beast, grabbing his target's head with blinding speed, both pinning his head and muffling his cries at the same time.

It was time. As Smiley's face lights up in an insane grin, He lift's up his target's neck and wastes no time.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Let all the candles burn out!"

Placing his Empire-issued dagger by his counterpart's left ear, he slices into the sensitive skin, letting his instincts take over.

"MMMMPPPPHH!"

Even with both the muffling and the knife piercing his neck, his target put up a good fight. His target tried to grab one of Smilely's arms in an attempt to flip him over. It was a common tactic for any Terran officer to learn. Made assassinations harder. But there was one fatal flaw the target had failed to anticipate. They were the same man, they were matched in strength. Therefore, it was obvious to the insane Terran that his target was fighting (Well..._trying_ anyway) to _stun_ Smiley; not kill him. Any smart Terran officer would've reached for their OWN weapon to counter with. Smiley's killer instinct, however, was running full blast; therefore he was devoting _all_ of his strength to his task. His target's struggling was pointless.

The knife digs into his target's neck deeper as Smiley's laughing becomes even more erratic and loud.

Smiley was slicing directly into the Carotid Arteries of his target's neck, which were basically the neck's blood pumps for most Humanoids. And that's why the blood was simply GUSHING out. All over the couch; All over his target's uniform; Even in a steady stream jutting from the wound onto the other side of the room. He wanted to see more!

"Let it flow! LET IT ALL JUST FLOW!"

His counterpart finally begins to tire as the continous blood loss, the pressure of the knife, (Which was now proceeding to his other Carotid Artery on his neck's right side) and Smiley's grip finally begin to take their toll.

As fun and sweet as the guts and gore were, this exact moment was the part that Smiley always loved the most. That...instant realization that there was truly no hope whatsoever. To know that they have lost; and that they have no choice but to give in to the sweet, warm embrace of death...

Finally letting his prey go for but a brief moment, Smiley zooms around to the other side of the couch as his counterpart collapses onto the floor in front of the couch in a bloody heap.

Smiley examines his work. The slice was both fast and precise. The cut could still be seen on his target's neck, despite the blood still flowing out of the wound. Even if a doctor had been in the room, it wouldn't have mattered. No regenerative substance or tool could've saved him in time.

His target's breathing was erratic. He was trying to talk, but all he could do was either stare at his murderer or watch the blood leave his neck and stain the floor.. He was choking on his own blood. It was secretly drowning him. He didn't have long...A minute at the most.

Despite the sorrowful and angry eyes staring back at him, Smiley kneels down near the prey laying before him on the floor, stroking his target's semi-bloody hair with his right hand in what could only be perceived as fake affection.

"Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh..." Smiley shushes in a mockingly soothing voice;, still clutching his weapon with his left hand. "Don't worry...You can't hurt me or anybody else ever again..."

The target coughs some more blood, causing the red liquid to land on Smiley's uniform. But the Terran didn't care.

He looks down at his target with an oddly warm smile; also raising his left arm again.

"Don't fight it..." Smiley continues with that gentle, mocking voice.

Smiley continues playing with his target's hair while swiftly sending his knife charging into the left side of his target's chest; keeping his eyes trained on his prey and his hands in his target's hair the entire time.

A final whistling throe his heard as the knife is dragged slightly deeper into the puncture wound.

His target's last spark of life is truly and utterly extinguished.

The target's eyes finally close as the body at last relaxes, spent.

The deed was done.

And no sooner is this completed that the door to the room swings open.

Smiley aggressively turns his head to the door to find Odo; looking around with a mixture of disgust and intrigue.

Upon seeing Smiley, the blood all over the area, and the dead corpse of his clone, Odo sighs irritably, utteering only three words.

"Computer, remove corpse."

Immediately, the corpse that Smiley had caressed and carefully killed disappears the room as the blood goes with it. Anybody walking wouldn't even know anything had happened in this room.

"Your'e ruining my fun, Odo..." Smiley says in a fake pout, getting up from the floor and walking towards Odo. "It was fun, I tell ya...The pretty red was everywhere...Everywhere! I had him, Odo. His life was putty in my hands! Why'd you have to end it so soon?"

"I've been spending the past hour looking for you." Odo says. "The Phase Inducer near the _Defiant's_ Warp Core is malfunctioning for the third time."

"Ugh! I told Muniz to re-coordinate those ODN Matrices!" Smiley says irritably. "Great...I guess I have to do it?"

"Yes, you do." Odo says. "Maybe next time, you should finish your duties BEFORE coming to the Holosuites to murder holographic clones of your OWN clone...Which brings me to my other reason for finding you. Sisko has ordered me to release your clone from the Holding Cells."

"What?" Smiley says in loud surprised shock, causing bar-goers to look up at him and Odo talking from the lower balcony. "Is he out of his mind?"

"That was my question, too." Odo says. "But orders are orders. I only have so much freedom. I tried making up as many laws as I could to keep him there, but the Captain wouldn't buy any of them. He also told me to tell you that you are not permitted to harm him, much less go near him. After your'e little show in Sisko's office yesterday, the Captain's worried that-"

"I don't believe it." Smiley says, pacing left and right in place. "It's already starting. First he's given freedom, then he'll start getting work, then I'll get a knife in my chest and a kick out of an airlock!"

"He isn't replacing you, Smiley." Odo says.

Smiley rushes at Odo, grabbing his shoulders and looking at his superior with desperate eyes.

"Don't you see, Odo?" Smiley says. "He's out to replace me! To take my identity! My life! No, no...I'm the real O'Brien! You can't let him out, Odo!"

Odo gently pushes back from Smiley's grasp, resuming a standing posture.

"I don't care how much you hate him, Neither me or Sisko want to see him dead." Odo says firmly. "I'm sure this man is going to be the key to ending this little back-and-forth betwen Sisko and Kira. If you value your position and your'e loyalty to me and the Captain, you'll leave that man alone until we find out how to use him. Understand?"

"But..." Smiley starts.

"I promise after one of them kills the other, I will personally request that he be released into your custody." Odo finishes. "Then, you can do whatever you want with him. But until then, don't do anything stupid enough to jeporadize either of our positions, understand?"

Smiley says nothing; instead turning around and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Odo asks.

"To configure those damn Matrices!"

This wasn't good. Sisko and Odo were his masters; but they were blind to what was really going on.

His clone was his opposite in every way...except for one.

He knew how to scheme. Smiley knows that the moment he's let out of that Holding Cell, his clone's gonna raise hell.

He'll do everything he can to take over Smiley's life. To BECOME Smiley.

That could not happen!

As Smiley walks down the Promenade, he sees the entrance to the Holding Cell Chamber.

There was no point in playing dumb anymore.

Smiley walks into the Holding Cell Chamber, ignoring the Guard sitting at watch. He was Odo's (And Sisko's) right-hand man. He didn't NEED clearance.

Smiley walks over to the Holding Cell that was the least crowded. His counterpart was such a rare find that he got an entire Cell to himself, while the pleading Terrans and lesser-raced prisoners were crammed together into groups that were put into seperate Cells.

Smiley stops in front of the forcefield. He eyes the Control Panel keeping it active. He was tempted to disable it, walk in there, spatter his clone's guts all over the Cell wall and leave content.

But no...His first loyalty was to the Empire...and his superiors...His interests were of no importance.

His counterpart...the FAKE Miles O'Brien...looks at him from behind the forcefield.

"What now?" Miles asks irritably.

"Let this be a warning." Smiley says, doing his best to contain his anger. "The rest of them may not see through your'e innocent act, but I'm on to you! I'm gonna do everything in my power to stop you! So you better play nice!"

Smiley begins to walk away in a huff, only to stop short.

"...And if you do anything stupid..."

Smiley turns back briefly; staring into his counterpart's eyes with what could only be described as pure unbridled hatred.

"...Your'e mine."


	3. Outsider, Part One

Miles was in trouble, that was for certain.

He's stuck in a corrupt world where violence and opression is the norm and compassion is a liability.

And just to put the cherry on the proverbial cake, Kira was a sadistic femme fatale, Julian was bitter, Odo was a taskmaster, He didn't even know who Sisko and Dax were here, though they were probably no better...Or were even worse.

And him? Who was the Miles Edward O'Brien of this damned place?

A violent, obsessive pariah out to kill his own counterpart.

O'Brien wouldn't have been as nervous as he was now if Smiley hadn't come and given him a death threat.

Of all of the accidents, the bullshit, the problems that seemed to follow him as though he was the universe's freakin' chew toy...

This was the shit-stopper.

And even worse, he couldn't even think of how it happened. One minute he's working on the computer diodes at Ops, next thing he knows, he's Transported to this nightmare.

It wasn't the ODN Relays. And this wasn't a time-travel incident, so Chroniton particles weren't the problem...Besides, those were routed towards the Transporters and Warp Cores, not tactical computers like the ones in Ops.

For once, Miles could not justify his predicament with any technobabble of any sort.

Instead, he decides to stop thinking about it, leaning back across the sorry excuse for a bed the cell had.

"I wonder what Captain Sisko and the others on my world are doin'. Are they lookin' for me?" Miles asks himself. "How long will they look? And Keiko, oh God Keiko. Who knows how she's takin' it..Probably didn't tell Molly and Yoshi about it yet, they're just kids. They don't need that kinda stuff loomin' over their shoulders yet..But then again, Molly's old eneough to know when somethin's wrong...And Julian? Heh, probably runnin' around in circles."

A blip in the forcefield surrounding his Cell interrupts his contmplation, causing the man to sit up.

There he sees Odo...Well, THIS Odo anyway, working the Holding Cell controls.

"Enjoying our...hospitality?" Odo asks evilly, a smile on his face.

"Should start chargin' for rooms." Miles responds sarcastically.

"Your'e free to go...for now. I have nothing to charge you with. The Captain wants you to meet with him later." Odo says. "What you do in the meantime is not my problem."

Odo ushers Miles out of the Cell as the forcefield behind his cell door re-instates with a BLIP.

"You worked on your own station, you shouldn't need a tour." Odo says. "Just don't do anything stupid, and we will not have anymore problems...I'd rather not have to drag you back here again."

Miles, not in the mood to humor the Changeling, begins to leave the room.

"Try not to get yourself killed..." Odo says mockingly from behind Miles.

"I'll keep that in mind." Miles says as he finally leaves the Holding Cell Area, muttering "...Tool."

Miles could tell the moment he walked on the Promenade just how different this world was.

It had a seedy atmosphere to it...People looked at each other suspiciously and pushed past one another as if in a constant hurry; Yelling could be heard in the distance. Miles walked (rather shoved) his way past the groups of people to the one familiar place he could relax in...Quark's.

Or...Should he say...Rom's?

Miles saw the overhead sign had Rom's name on it instead of the yellow neon sign that he was used to seeing on HIS OWN station.

CRASH!

Miles' eyes dart to the entrance to the bar as a Ferengi man falls headfirst onto the ground.

"You call this a Romulan Ale?" A deep, bold voice says from inside the bar. "This might as well be mud off of the ground!"

The Ferengi pulls himself up as footsteps start shuffling towards th entrance.

Miles half-expected Klingons to come out of that area, but no.

Humans...Or according to this world, 'Terrans.' From what he's seen, was there really any difference between them and the Klingons at this point?

Two of them. One was a big, strapping fellow; About 5'4, blond hair. The other was thin and spry, 4'8, black hair. Miles could see the bloodlust in their eyes.

The Prime Directive told him never to interfere in a world's affairs. And part of him wanted to stay out of it. But this was another universe. And the Prime Directive never mentioned other dimensions, did it?

Miles pushes past spectators, running up to the downed Ferengi.

Upon close inspection, it was obvious who it was. Quark.

"Quark?" Miles asks, kneeling down to inspect Quark's head, which had hit the ground pretty hard.

"Oh, wow..." Quark says, looking up to see Miles staring back down at him.

"You alright?" Miles asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Quark says.

"Hah. Aren't we kind?" One of the Terrans says. "Ferengi aren't worth anything. Why waste your time? If you ask me, they're nothin' but big-earred freaks..."

Miles turns to look up at the Terran who had mouthed the sadistic comment.

"Nobody asked you for your input. Besides, who the hell are you to say somethin' like that?" Miles says. He actually already knew where this was going. The Terran would mention how Humans were superior here, Miles would respond, and a fight would break out. Miles' brain mentally prepared itself for an impact of any kind.

"Oh, please." The thin Terran standing next to the larger one says. "Ferengi exist as two things...Bartenders and punching bags. And they suck at even THAT."

"If you didn't like your drink, why didn't you just order something else?" Miles asks icilly, getting off of his knee and resuming an upright position.

The big Terran walks closer to Miles, getting in his face. Miles could smell the Alchohol coming from his breath. He was drunk. What, they didn't invent Synthohol in this universe?

"I didn't WANT something else...I wanted Romulan Ale."

"Well, then." Miles says. "Here's something..."

Miles rears back a punch, letting his left hand fly into the Terran's face.

"...On the house!"

The force of the punch blows the big Terran back towards one of the tables. Miles could hear the people shouting in the background...And it disgusted him even more. Interested onlookrs were understandable, but here all they did was beg for more like it was some freak show or Vole fight. People in HIS world would've just ran away. Were there ANY morals around here?

The big Terran hits one of the tables as the fight moves inside of the bar itself. Those muscles were probably just for show...And bigger than his brain.

As his big friend's body slinks to the floor, unconcious, Miles sees the thin one pull out a Terran-issued Dagger, just like the ones Smiley and Julian were wielding back in the Transporter Room during their argument.

The thin Terran slashes and stabs at Miles, running back and forth everytime he thrust.

As a Starfleet officer, (And frequent user of both Worf's Callisthenics programs and various historical battle programs) Miles was trained for combat situations like this.

The thin one was armed, but that's all he was. Whatever sort of combat training most Terrans went through in this backwards place was either foreign to Miles' current enemy or was lost to the effects of Romulan Ale. Or most likely, both. The man had no eye for battle at all. He thought the knife alone was all he needed.

After a third thrust attempt, Miles catches the Terran's knife arm and puts the appendage in a grapplehold, causing the knife to drop to the ground and the man to scream in pain.

In a quick flash, Miles releases the man and knocks him out with a two-handed haymaker to the back of the head.

The thin Terran's body falls flat onto the ground, ending the show.

Miles breathes in and out rhythmically to calm his body down.

He looks around; The crowd of people watching the 'show' begins to dissipate with disappointed voices and sluggish speed. They were expecting more of a show. Miles didn't care. He wasn't trying to appease their egos.

Miles walks towards Quark, who was still laying where he fell, clutching his head with his right hand.

This happened a lot in Miles' world, but the parties responsible were usually Klingons. And even Klingons had a sense of honor to them. Even though relations between them and the Ferengi were less than cordial, they weren't anywhere near as harsh as these guys were. Well, that's if your'e looking at things from a Klingon perspective, anyway.

Miles extends his right hand to the hapless bartender as he pulls Quark to his feet.

"Thanks for that." Quark says, looking down at the broken glasses and spilled Ale under his feet. "Great...Rom's gonna kill me. Ale like that is expensive..."

"You need any help?" Miles asks. Usually he would've just left Quark be. The Quark he knew was pretty resourceful. But...different dimension, different rules.

"No, no. I'm fine." Quark says, looking Miles in the face for the first time. "Hey uh, why don'tcha come in?"

"Um, I'm actually..." Miles asks.

"No, I insist." Quark says, putting his left arm around Miles back in a friendly gesture. "I will not take 'no' for an answer."

"Sigh...Fine." Miles says as the Ferengi directs him into the bar, ushering him towards a bar-stool.

Oddly enough, it was the stool right next to Morn's.

And sure enough, there was the famous Tellarite sipping his usual order.

Miles was tempted to say 'hi,' but stopped himself. This wasn't HIS Morn. Something in the back of Miles' gut was telling him not to say a word.

Miles sees Quark dash behind the table, re-appearing with a bottle.

"So, what can I get you?" Quark asks Miles with a happy tone.

"Um, I don't have any money..." Miles says.

"Hey, after what you did for me, it's on the house." Quark says with a smile. "I don't care how much Rom's gonna hound me about it. So, what'll you have?"

No obsession with profit...?

Definitely not HIS Quark.

"Just a Synthale, if you've got it." Miles says shyly.

"A Synthale?" Quark asks. "Awfully tame, but ok."

After about half a minute, Quark gives Miles a glass filled with clear liquid.

"Thanks." Miles says. "So...What was all that about?"

"Ah, Just a couple of drunks out to prove themselves." Quark says. "This isn't anything new. Fights happen around here all the time. The blood is always hard to get off the tables..."

"This station's a shithole..." Miles says.

"That's an understatement." Quark says with a sigh, resting his hands against the table. "The Terran Empire's full of savages, assholes, and nutjobs, I tell you. But they're the only paying customers in the Alpha Quadrant aside from people coming in from the Gamma Quadrant...And most of them, you never see again. I feel sorry for you, pal. You just came here by a chance Transporter accident; Be lucky you didn't grow up here. Either way you look at it, Fortune isn't smiling on you today."

"How do you know I'm an outsider?" Miles asks, narrowing his eyes. He was probably overreacting, but his time in this universe was to blame for that.

"I hear things..." Quark says. "Plus, if you were the real Smiley, you'd have been laughin' and gawkin' at me like those two bozos were...Ignoring the fact that you aren't wearing a Terran uniform. The only reason that lunatic's kept me alive all these years is cause Odo's ordered him to...And all Odo wants to do is mess with me."

He might as well ask.

"What's his story, anyway?" Miles asks, taking a sip of his Synthale.

"Who, Odo?" Quark asks.

"No, not Odo. Smiley." Miles says, putting the glass back on the table.

"Oh, boy...Where do I start?" Quark replies.

"At the top." Miles replies.

Miles notices Morn leave his stool a second after; but doesn't address it.

"Well, he was just an average Joe...Accordin' to rumors, he was a mechanic. He was the nicest guy you could ever know. Wouldn't harm an Andorian fly-beetle. But for some reason, I guess 'cause he was so good with technology, the Empire got it's hands on 'im. They had him go to the Imperial Academy, but he flunked his tests on purpose so they'd let him go. It didn't work."

"If he failed his tests, then why is workin' for them now?" Miles asks.

_"Because..."_ A voice says, causing Miles and Quark to turn their heads towards the entrance.

There stood Elim Garak, whom Miles knew in his own world as a former Cardassian operative who became the station's tailor. Here, who the hell knows?

"...The Empire was working on a way to cure mental diseases and illnesses in an effort to counteract Terrans' backstabbing habits; Smiley was one of the Terrans plotting against his superiors. Or so the official stance on the subject is. In reality, they were trying to research and test ways to control the minds of individuals through memory modification, to make them more loyal to the Empire, as most Empire soldiers are intensely conditioned and trained to become the cold killers most know them to be...I put an emphasis on 'conditioned,' mind you."

"This is Elim Garak, an associate and friend of mine..." Quark says.

Miles already knew Garak...Well, HIS Garak...But he was too shocked by Smiley's origins to say anything just yet.

It felt strange...Like he WAS actually talking to the Garak of his world.

Again, Miles kept his mouth shut...About THAT, anyway.

"So, you're telling me Smiley was conditioned by his own government to be some assassin?" Miles asks.

"As both a punishment and precaution. After all, what one learns in the Academy is top-secret to non-Empire personnel, so they can't very well let a rogue student run free; The implications of revealing inner workings of the Empire would be catastrophic. As for the experiment, well...To say it succeeded would only be a half-truth." Garak says. "He became a loyal dog of the Empire, but for some reason, it devastated his mind in the process, turning the 'loyal dog' rabid. That loyalty to the Empire and his retainment of his skills with machinery are the only two reasons he's kept on a loose leash instead of put down...Needless to say, his insanity lets him get away with things more common Terrans get killed for...Like I said, he's on a VERY LOOSE leash. I envy him. To have such freedom in a power that stifles it. Some people have all the luck."

Miles wanted to know why and how these two knew so much; but then again, why punch a gift horse in the mouth?

"So they're more than willing to make a homicidal lunatic into their Chief of Operations?" Miles says, exasperated.

"Yes." Garak says, sitting next to Miles. "The logic of it escapes me, but that's the truth of the matter."

"If you're on his naughty list, he won't be checking it twice." Quark says. "Your days are numbered."

"Oh, no pressure." Miles says sarcastically. "What time is it?"

"Almost nineteen-hundred, why?" Quark asks.

"I need to be somewhere." Miles says.

"Kira or Sisko?" Garak asks.

"What?" Miles asks.

"Which one wanted you to meet with them?" Garak asks.

"Both of them, but Kira asked first while I was screaming my ass off in that...Booth of theirs." Miles says.

"They do this to every new officer and foreigner that comes waltzing onto the station." Quark says. "This little 'cold war' of theirs has been goin' on for months..."

Quark extends a hand and pats Miles' right shoulder.

"You have my sympathies." Quark says. "My advice? Just smile and nod...But your'e gonna have to choose a side sooner or later. And when you do...I recommend going with Sisko...Because you do not want to piss him off under any circumstances. Granted, having either one of them mad at you is dangerous, but Sisko, well..."

"What's so important about him?" Miles asks.

"Sisko has Smiley's complete loyalty..." Garak says. "It would only take a single order and you're counterpart will carve you up like Swiss cheese. With Sisko on your side, Smiley cannot and WILL not touch you. Plus, Sisko has more resources. Maybe he can find a way to send you home."

"Or use your homesickness against you..." Quark says.

Miles says nothing more, leaving the two to their machinations.

Garak turns to Quark as Miles begins to leave.

"You always seem to be the one cloud in a sunny sky, Quark." Garak says.

"Experience has made me insightful..." Quark says. "So, what did you wanna see me about?"

"Remember that object we discussed?" Garak asks.


End file.
